The Garden of Eden 1828

Editor: So, here we have Thomas Cole's "The Garden of Eden," created in 1828. It's quite an enveloping landscape; almost theatrical with the framing of trees. The lighting is particularly striking to me; there's this definite contrast between the shadowed foreground and the luminous distance. How do you interpret this work from a formal perspective? Curator: Note the structured recession into depth facilitated by light. Light articulates the transition between near and far and facilitates the visual transition to the center. Cole employs several pictorial devices which reflect structure and composition in that light is the catalyst that produces movement through color, arrangement and organization, which creates harmony and symmetry. Editor: Harmony and symmetry--could you expand on that? I see the light creating depth, but what specifically are you seeing that speaks to those qualities? Curator: The near is dark, almost sepia in its tonality and density, which quickly recedes into lighter tones and brighter hues. Then the mountain is a pale light blue that recedes into the sky. A compositional structure is being built. A structure of near to far, dark to light. An integration is present. This generates a sense of stability and repose which encourages an attitude of awe in the observer. It is a carefully constructed aesthetic experience and ideological meaning through form. Editor: I hadn't considered how the deliberate arrangement contributes so significantly to the feeling of awe. That push and pull of light really guides the eye. I will definitely observe the painting with renewed focus on these structures. Thanks! Curator: And in doing so, you witness how form articulates thought. Thank you.